


Redemption for the Damned

by thewaywardqueen



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter/Funhaus RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-29
Updated: 2017-08-08
Packaged: 2018-12-08 06:47:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11641173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thewaywardqueen/pseuds/thewaywardqueen
Summary: It started like this, Michael and his closest friends decided to rise against the rising crimes in Achievement City. They all had gifts and wanted to change the way the world kept mutants hidden and do some good. They become the ‘Achievement Hunters’ just in time for a supervillain crisis.Except it didn't really start like that because he was an unreliable narrator and really it started like this...(a Ryan/Michael Super!AH Au that feels like a FAHC fic.)





	1. All hail the new kids

**Author's Note:**

> I loved this idea for ages but i finally kicked my ass into writing this story.  
> So the whole fic will likely be 3rd person POV centring around Michael (With occasional change in character) But this chapter's narrative being past tense is not going to continue it’s just to introduce it and as such isn't dialogue heavy or as long as I'd like- so bear with me.  
> Also ‘Renegades - X ambassadors’ is probably the theme tune of the guys. And Michaels is ‘Arsonist's Lullabye - Hozier’.

It started like this, Michael and his closest friends decided to rise against the rising crimes in Achievement City. They all had gifts that they had never put to good use and they wanted to change that. Change the way the world kept mutants hidden and do some good. They got themselves outfitted, created some aliases, and set out to stop crime just in time for a supervillain crisis.

Except it didn't really start like that because he was an unreliable narrator and really it started like this. 26 years ago Michael was born to a normal enough family in New Jersey. Well normal enough for New Jersey. Then his family had died when he was 3 and he was thrown around relatives for a long time. Less normal. He was always bit of an angry kid but that was too expected really with what happened. What was more unexpected was he had constantly set things on fire. So when he was 16 and it was socially acceptable he was kicked out the home. Michael wasn’t quite sure how to tell them that he didn’t mean to set fires but the flames were apart of him. They burned under his skin and if he tried to bottle up the urge he would end up exploding. Way less normal. He dropped outta high school, seeing as everyone there treated him like shit anyway, and started apprenticing as an electrician. Not glorious work but it felt good to use his own two hands. And once in a blue moon he got to expend his flames into a demolished home. He moved to Achievement City after a few years to start his own business and the real estate was way cheaper. Which was fair considering the place was a shithole. His life was monotonous and empty but it was better than living with his aunts. One day he was working a solo job for this guy, Sorola.

“It’s the wiring in this ceiling that's messed up. Dont fuck with anything else.” What a swell guy. He had almost finished with the bullshit wiring when a spark flicked onto the ceiling and started lighting the thing on fire. Michael quick to act, stilled the fire and consumed it into his fingertips.

“Huh.” Michael’s heart stopped as he looked towards Sorola standing in the doorway. “You know this isn’t even the weirdest way I’ve met another mutant.”

And with meeting Gus, Michael became apart of an underground community of mutants called Rooster Teeth. It was a safe place where the gifted few can meet and openly use their abilities free from ridicule in a pretty large renovated warehouse just outside of town. The main part of it included a bar and Michael had no clue what went on in the rest of it but he really didn’t waste time thinking about it.

Over the 5 years of being apart of the network he made a great group of friends. There was Geoff, who apparently was a founder of Rooster Teeth but had stepped back forever ago. He smelt of whisky and cigars and despite constantly looking tired he seemed to hold power beyond what his abilities were. Though his abilities of mental manipulation probably helped. Probably. There was also Jack, who they constantly joked was the Hulk, with his great strength and his great patience that had only had been broken about 3 times. They had to replace at least five tables every time this happened. Then there was… well it doesn’t matter because he’s not around anymore. Then his best mate Lindsay came strolling in with a puppy crush on him, or I guess kitty crush, and quickly got over it when she realised he was an asshole even if a lovable one. She was awesome with red hair and always a witty line to put the idiots in their place. Then Gavin flew over from England after being Geoff’s friend for a long ass time. He was an idiot who probably need a punch in the face but Michael would fight anyone who tried. He liked being tacky and flaunting his wealth that was easily achieved when you could turn anything into gold. Jeremy became their friend then, a small man who could match Michael in strength and volume. An ex-champion gymnast who gave up his dreams when he realised no normal human could do what he could. Then finally came Ryan. Though that’s not really true because he’d been around as long as Michael he just wasn’t one of them. He was the hot weird guy with long blonde hair in a ponytail, that routinely walked into the bar, not speaking to anyone but Kerry the bartender, never buying an alcoholic drink ever, and then leaving before lights up. Then one day Gavin went to buy a drink when Ryan was sitting alone and somehow came back with them both arguing about the statistics about flipping the coin and he joined them so easily it felt like he was always there. He was like a living paradox. The man could be creepy and intimidating one second and in the next he could be flubbing words, scoffing doughnuts, while gushing about cute animals. Anyway that was them, the drunken idiots of Rooster Teeth.

Over this time they had all talked about how tired they were about hiding their abilities. An emptiness when they couldn't tap into their gifts daily. It all led to one drunken night where they decided that they should just go for it. Go out on the town and have some fun. It was Gavin’s idea to leave the place and in Jacks infinite wisdom they donned masks and hoodies so they would be anonymous. Ryan for some reason had enough masks for everyone including a creepy skull mask he used. They headed out and 15 minutes later they stumbled into the middle of a shoot out. There were 3 cops and about 20 masked guys with guns. The cops saw they were wearing masks and started shooting towards them. Michael lifted his hands and stunted the fire from the guns.

“No, not us- we’re good guys!” Michael shouted still drunk out of his ass.

“Yeah!” Some of the others chorused.

And then it all happened so fast. Ryan teleported himself behind some of the bad guys and knocked them out. Jack with his unnatural strength picked up 5 and threw them at the wall. Jeremy jumped 20ft in the air and axe kicked a guy. Michael did what he could to control the fire from the guns from both groups. Gavin stumbled up to the broken guns and turned the guns into gold. Lindsay seeing them unarmed ran up and clawed at them before knocking ‘em out. Geoff was talking to the cops probably trying to use his abilities to make them forget what they were seeing. They headed back to their homes happy, exhilarated, a lil bruised, no less drunk, feeling satisfied that they had got away with it.

Except Geoff was apparently too drunk to use his powers right. The next day they all woke to a headline and accompanying artwork that stopped their hearts. ‘The Achievement Hunters, real or not?’

“Well shit.”

They all met up at Geoff's place trying to work out what to do. It turns out the journalist and witnesses had worked together while being high as shit cause the costumes they were depicted in were insane and took a little while to figure out who was even who. They had also apparently all been given superhero names.

Ryan’s costume was padded and black with a cross on his chest and a skull mask on his face with the tag Vagabond. Gavins was bright gold and gaudy appropriately named The Golden Gun. Jack was like some norse legend with a cape and armour as The Viking. Jeremy was bright orange and purple broken into diamond shapes named The Cirque. Lindsay was dressed as a fox called Vixen, even though everyone who knew her could see she was a cat. Somehow Geoff was in a robotic suit straight out of science fiction and was labeled The Boss. And Michael’s outfit was the colours of bonfire rising all burnt and wild and his name…

“You know, I don’t hate Wildfire.”

Then Geoff got the phone call and winced at the name on the screen. “Gus.” Geoff spared putting them on speaker, they got the gist anyway. They had singlehandedly publicized the existence of mutants and destroyed years and years of work Rooster Teeth had put into the cause. So that was a new layer of shitty. Not being able to return to the one place they felt safe meant they had to hide.

And so they laid low. Michael not even risking lighting a cigarette with his fingertips. The others had to hold back in their own ways, he knew Jack hated not being able to tap into his strength as much working in construction as he did. It was getting harder to see each other without Rooster Teeth. Especially all working different jobs that they all kind of struggled to do now. Geoff is rich somehow, they don't ask, and owns two floors of a flashy apartment building and slowly over two months everyone gradually moves into a room and has keys to everyone else's. Except Ryan. No one has a key to Ryans. They were all pretty sure there would be some weird shit in there they wouldn't want to see anyway. So their jobs get slowly put on the shelf as they lessen hours and finally quit. If there was any relief in all of it- it was that he got to take a break from the work he’d hated doing for 10 years. Even if he now felt purposeless. But videogames and drinking with friends eased that restlessness in part.

There's a saying about the calm before the storm and in the lull they had fallen into there was an unease about something that would come. A consequence to their actions that would ram them in their ass. It came on a thursday when Jack snatched the remote out of michaels hand to flip on the news.

“Hey, we’re watching sunny!”

“you’ll want to see this.”

“-the attack that happened at 10am where a group of unknown terrorists destroyed the tower of pimps and in the process killed forty civilians and sent another 20 to hospital. It was believed until minutes ago to be the mysterious Achievement Hunters we can now confirm the rumours are false. The terrorists revealed themselves in a video sent into our station just now.”

The video led “We are the Seven Deadly Sins and we will own this city.” The voice was dressed in burnt red and his voice held gravitas. It was always bad when a villain had gravitas. As their names gave away there were 7 of them donned in different colours. “Your so called Hunters haven’t shown their faces in weeks and how do you even know they exist in the first place? We do exist and we have proved it. You have one week to pledge allegiance to us or we will burn this city down.” The video finished and the news resumed but no one was listening anymore.

“Wow thats lame. What kind of gifts are those?”

“Enough to destroy a landmark and kill 40 people.” Jack answered.

“Still.”

“How mutants even are there? I don’t think I recognise any of them from Rooster Teeth.”

“We don't even know they're mutants.”

“Of course they are! Who else could do this?”

“Have you ever heard of explosives?”

They started shouting over each other. Geoff got another call from Gus- the first since the incident. Rooster Teeth was going underground. How an underground network can go underground Michael had no clue but it was clear they were wiping their hands clean if the situation.

“Look,” Geoff shouted, slamming his hands down on the table. He rubbed his face for a moment. “We have two choices here. We run forget and forget this city. We don't owe anything to anyone here and we’re the only friends we have.” They nodded uneasily. “Or we stay. We fight this- fight them.” He pointed. “We fight this inevitable fear of mutants. From having to lie lower than even before. We take responsibility for the 40 deaths or at least make The Seven pay for it. And I don’t know about you but I love this place that you squatters all moved into and I don’t think y’all would of if you weren’t expecting something like this.” Michael looked towards the others and there were slower nods now. Gotta give it to Geoff, with or without the power to control minds, he can make people do what he wants.

And that's how it all started in the end. With two empty tequila bottles being chucked into the fire with their past identities. Maybe not entirely literally but there’s no way he could go back to being ‘Mike the electrician’ with what they were gonna do. A heavy weight was shared in their small smiles as Geoff calls his ex-wife who apparently can build them suits. Michael looked to Ryan who more than anyone else didn’t seem bothered by watching his name burn up.

“You seem strangely okay with all of this.”

“Not my first rodeo. I am concerned for what it will mean this time. But I’m not going it alone this way around.” Looking more at peace than Michael had ever seen since the time he had watched him napping on the couch. Which wasn't creepy if he had been concerned for his welfare and that was the story he stuck to when Geoff had caught him staring at the sleeping Ryan.

“Yeah. It makes a little easier.”

“You still have your name, you still exist, all your friends are here- It’ll be fine.” 

“Yeah. Unless we all die horribly.”

“Eh, not my first rodeo for that either.” he grinned maniacally.

“You're a creepy motherfucker, you know that?”

He looked back at the fire and smiled. “I’m aware.”

He went quiet and Michael thought about his own identity. His family were dead and those who were left alive wanted nothing to do with him. What was his story up to now? What did his name even mean? An orphan. A high school drop-out. Deadbeat. Arsonist. Electrician.

So maybe his story did start here. Not Michael’s- but Wildfire’s. Among the only family that mattered in the first place he could really call home.


	2. Long live the pioneers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “So your 20% likely to show Ryan what your packing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I was worried that not all the powers had been outlined properly. So here are the revealed gifts:
> 
> Geoff AKA The Boss - Mental Manipulation  
> Jack AKA The Viking - Enhanced Strength  
> Ryan AKA Vagabond - Teleportation  
> Michael AKA Wildfire - Pyrokinesis  
> Gavin AKA Golden Gun - Chrysopoeia  
> Jeremy AKA Cirque - Enhanced Agility/Flexibility/Jumping Skills  
> Lindsay AKA Vixen - Enhanced Senses/Reflexes/Vision/Claws
> 
> This chapters more dialogue heavy as I’m trying to work a mid-ground. I’d love for you to comment with what parts you're enjoying and any critiques (still be nice) that can help me better the writing. As love you guys for bothering to read this ol' thing

“Griffon, you should really buy me a drink first.” That earned Michael a slap but really when someone was measuring your inseam the joke had to be made.

“Watch it or I’m gonna stick you in a leather blend.”

“That’d be badass.”

“Not when you burning at 10000° and your balls will be sweating… well balls.”

“Good point.”

He was one of the first to be fitted seeing as his, above anyone else's, costume will be a pain in the ass. Seeing as most fabric would be destroyed the second he set on fire. And while he didn’t give a shit about nudity, it’s kinda hard to believe the guy with his junk out is a good guy.

“What do you think?” Griffon passed him a mock up she had drawn of him in essentially a hoodie with attached trousers. The colouring was almost identical to the newspaper art and so he knew he liked it already.

“What do  _ you _ think?” Seeing as Michael had no fashion expertise whatsoever.

“I think what you guys are doing is brave but really fucking dumb.” She quirked her eyebrow. “But I can at least make you look good and I’ve run flame tests on this new fabric blend. Though I’m not sure if it’s Michael proof yet. I will probably need to find out what's the hottest you get.”

“After the shower at the gym is probably my peak.”

“You know you keep joking and I might start believing you’re not worried.”

“Oh i'm fucking terrified. But that night we went out with masks and powers was the most fun I’ve ever had. Even with bullets flying at us.”

“Yeah I know.” Griffon sighed. “If me and Geoff weren’t already divorced I would have divorced him again for that. And this.” 

Michael probably never met to divorcees that were so comfortable with each other. Not that he had met too many but he was pretty sure their relationship was unusual. He several times wanted to ask if it bothered her when she saw Geoff and Jack kiss in front of her. That was before he knew that Jack and her occasionally met up for drinks to talk about Geoff. Now that has gotta be weird.

“Alright, I’ll start working on this and you are actually going to have to start practising your abilities.”

“I’ve been doing that my whole life.”

“No you’ve been holding back your whole life. Do you know how hot you can go? If you expend your energy too quick do you stop being able to control it? Do you know if you can fly?” That got him to shut up. She was right, he really hadn’t used abilities all that much. “I don’t know which of you know your gifts but I think you're the main concern. After all if you can’t control it you’ll be incredibly dangerous.”

“You're right I should try stuff out.”

“Just take Ryan- go somewhere no one will see you.” Michael went red for a second of the phrasing. “After all he can teleport out the way if needs be.”

“Can I at least get the suit first so I’m not butt naked when I potentially die.”

“I was under the impression you wanted to be naked in front of Ryan.”

“What? I don’t know what you're talking-”

“Save it. Jacks being cataloguing your crush  since forever.” Okay so apparently they don’t just talk about Geoff.

“He’s hot alright but he’s also creepy and stuff.”

“Sure. Keep telling yourself that.” She laughed but pulled out a black wetsuit style thing and passed it to him. “I already made a test suit of the fabric and I’m 80% sure it’ll work.”

“80?”

“So your 20% likely to show Ryan what your packing.”

“Great thanks.” He answered sarcastically but was still running the fabric through his fingers excitedly. He never asked what Griffons power was but he knew it had something to with being able to create things. She was constantly whipping out amazing pieces of art with no time in between.

“These will all be done pretty soon. But I want you to message me if you find anything out on your test.”

“Yeah sure.”

He left Griffons, trying not to think to hard about everything. When he got back to the penthouse Ryan was making himself a coffee and Michael watched him from the doorway. He wasn’t really sure if it was a crush. He found Ryan good looking but it wasn’t more than that. Not really. Also it was definitely one-sided for sure.

“Hey. So Griffon told me that I should probably test out my gifts somewhere so I don’t like explode horribly in the middle of a fight.” He said walking into the room.

“It would actually probably be handy having a human molotov cocktail.” Ryan mused. “But I see her point. So when do you want to head out? I’m free right now.”

“You wanna join?”

“Well it was my idea.” Okay so that was weird. If the others were here they joke about how Ryan was going to take him to the middle of nowhere to kill and bury him. But they weren't and it’s a pretty considerate thing to offer so he really didn’t want to offend him.

“Right okay I just gotta change.”

He changed into the makeshift suit slowly pulling the fabric on. A little tighter then he would have wanted but Griffon probably did that on purpose. Other than that it did fit and the fabric was pretty comfortable. Suddenly feeling tense he flexed inside of it and started to heat up. At least if he knew beforehand that the suit wasn’t going to work he wouldn’t have to flash Ryan. The flames started spreading from his extremities and trailed into his core. The fabric held up as he traced the outside with his flaming hand. He tried to walk out with confidence and not looking at Ryan.

“So we going or?”

“Uh yeah. I know a place that’ll be good to test.”

“Great beam us up, Scotty.” The man scoffed.

He’d been transported by Ryan before. A few years ago when he had been drunk as hell and Ryan insisted to make sure he got home safe. In his fuzzy brain he could only remember parts of the night but this moment rang out. The blonde's arm over his shoulder and wrapped around his waist with the man's strength holding him still. Michael still tensed in his hold wanting to distance himself. He was told to  _ “Hold on _ ” and so he shook off the awkwardness and leant into Ryan’s warmth. It was in the blink of an eye but he could feel the darkness dragging and pulling him. The gravity warping around them lurching them in every direction simultaneously. When they flashed into his apartment Michael immediately threw up, the journey weakening his already fucked state. Ryan laughed and grabbed him some water and he doesn’t remember the rest but he woke up to aspirin and a note saying ‘ _ there’s vomit in your kitchen still - Ry =)’  _ So that had felt like a mixed message.

This time was different. Ryan only put his arm over his shoulder. It felt more simple in his sober state and while he never really touched Ryan all that much he could pretend it was Gavin or Jeremy. Even though he felt the urge to heat up as Ryan held him closer.

“This time try not to throw up.”

“I’m not gonna throw-” and they transported.and Michael threw up immediately. “Fuck how do you do this all the time.”

“Probably cause its my ability. My body doesn’t have a problem with it.” And standing there holding in a laugh he looked like a smug prick as he stood over Michael’s puke.

“Alright, I think I’m good.” 

“Great. Ready to get hot?”

“I was born hot. Kinda. Only after high school.” That earned him a chuckle as he took in his surroundings. They were in a desert somewhere it was already pretty warm if Michael was bothered by that kind of thing. It was definitely empty so that was a plus. He started walking a distance away from Ryan and turned back towards him. “So what? Should I just do my thing?”

“I guess I haven’t exactly seen your thing yet.”

“Promises promises.”

Michael almost felt subconscious about showing off then. Ryan was right in that no one had really ever seen him go full flamethrower. He heat up again praying his suit would stay on. When the flames spread up to his curls he began to relax. The fabric not only stayed on but stayed cool. He tried to push the fire into his lower body and they worked down into the soles of his feet. He slowly started to lift off the ground raising higher and higher.

“Oh my god. Oh my god.”

“You can fly?”

“Apparently.” 

He pushed more and kept rising up higher. He let himself enjoy it and lose control as he flipped in the air revolving the flames to keep him steady. It would be cheesy to say he felt free, but really there were no other words. He felt so free being able to use his gifts in such a way. He never really had experimented beyond how long he could go without blowing up. Here in the sky something like fifty meters off the ground he couldn't stop the laughter leaving his body. His happiness he could not halt for a second but he had full control over the heat.

And then just like that he burnt out. The fire retreated into his core abruptly and without warning. His heart dropped as he saw the ground approaching hard and fast. A scream ripped from him as his body closed the distance from him and below. He crashed hard into the dirt right on his left side shoulder first.

“Michael, you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m good. Aww fuck.” He stretched his limbs and tensed the muscles. “Nothings broken just fucking hurts.” At this point he was just happy the suit was still intact. He sat up trying to lessen the dazed feeling.

“If anything swells up you're going to the doctor.”

“What doctor? Rooster Teeths not exactly gonna help us out.”

“Caleb is still in touch with Geoff.”

“Fine sure.” He pushed himself onto his feet and immediately stumbled. Ryan teleported to his side in a flash to stop him from falling. Michael for a second couldn’t ignore his feelings as he felt the other by his side, his arms on his hips.

“Let’s just get back so you can sit somewhere that isn't dirt.”

They got back to the penthouse and Michael thanked his lucky stars he didn’t throw up this time. So maybe your body can get used to the whole thing. Everyone was stood around the lounge around the TV. He was waiting for someone to crack a joke about them two being alone together but they were all silent. More than silent they stood with faces heavier than a tow truck.

“Woah who died?”

“There was a massacre at the police station caused by The Seven.” Jack answered stunning the two into silence. “The video just shows them all just killing each other but one sprayed a 7 on the wall.”

“So was it like an inside job?”

“Nope and if it was none of them walked away from it.”

Jeremy played the video for the two of them and everyone else averted their eyes. The station had like 20 officers and civilians standing around and then it was like a flip was switched. Every officer picked up their guns and started shooting as the civi’s threw chairs and whatever they could grab. It was brutal, bloody and entirely insane. They ripped each other to shreds out of literally nowhere and Michael had no clue how they could prevent something like that.

“What could do this?”

“A lot of gifts. It’s hard to judge.”

“So they made their move, when do we make ours?”

“The suits are going to be finished tomorrow.So we could head out then but we should probably plan something.”

“I thought we’d just… go find some crime?”

“Which… is an idea but if we want to look like a strong force we should probably not look idiots. Like for our attacks we have Jack as like an actual tank but if Gavin gets shot- well what I mean is unless it’s a golden bullet he’s in trouble. Even with a suit that should keep him safe I don’t want to risk it. I mean only Jeremy can be up high except maybe Ryan or Lindsay on top of buildings-”

“Michael can fly.” The others turned to look at Ryan and then him. 

“So thats a thing. Only for a few minutes at a time probably but yeah. Which I should probably tell griffon.” He sent a quick text ‘ _ so i can fly in short bursts and the suit totally works.’  _ she responds within a few seconds.  _ ‘KNEW IT! Great, I’ll make some adjustments then.’ _

“Huh. Okay so that changes things. So strategy.” Geoff began laying down rough plans. “And finally we should operate in pairs. A buddy system since you’re all goddamn kindergartners anyway. As Jeremy and Michael can both fly or kinda they’ll be Team Firefly. Ryan and Gavin so they can act fast and get out faster as Team Goldmember. Lindsay and Jack with be bringing the force as Team Juggernaut.”

“What about you?” Jack asked.

“Well I’ll talk to you all telepathically and I’ll probably stick to Ryan and Gavin. My suit will be able to give and take a lot of brute force so I should be able to act as well as communicate with you. Mostly I’ll just try and manipulate people to stop shooting if possible. Besides  _ I am  _ The Boss” He shrugged.

“Alright so it’s settled. Achievement Hunters we begin tomorrow.” Jack smiled.

“Woop!” Michael punched the air and immediately regretted it when the pain rippled from his shoulder. The others were thankfully preoccupied in celebrating. Only Ryan seemed to notice and gave him a dirty look before chucking him so frozen peas.

“Thanks.”

“Just be ready for action tomorrow. If you die we’re kinda fucked.”

“Wow and for a second I thought you cared.” Ryan chuckled walking away leaving the statement unanswered but it made Michael laugh anyway. He looked to the group who had now relaxed into their sofas and beers. And despite the pain in his shoulder he felt maybe it would all work out.


End file.
